Although tape application heads have been used for many years in conveyor driven carton sealing equipment, such previous tape application heads, although operating quite satisfactorily at low speed tape application speeds, are deficient for high speed tape application for applying tape to cartons that are moving at speeds in excess of 120 feet per minute. At such high speeds, the application rollers contact the carton for a very short period of time, usually with widely varying application of pressures which may crush a portion of the carton particularly along the leading corner and folded flap surface. Additionally, it is not unusual for each prior art heads to apply the adhesive tape in a misregistered application in which the leading edge is longer than the trailing end or vice versa.
Additionally, it has become more difficult for tape application heads to apply the leading end firmly to the leading surface of the carton. Attaching the leading tape end requires pressure at a precise location. If the leading tape end is too long, a portion of the tape extends beyond the front application roller, and never receives pressure from the roller. The result is a loose end that can stick to adjacent cartons and be torn loose. If the leading end of the tape is too short, the tape roller may fail to contact the tape and no pressure is applied anywhere on the tape so that the carton continues on with no tape being applied to the container. Additionally, many of such prior art tape application heads are unable to cut the tape into a strip in which the leading end and the trailing end are the same length.
Furthermore, it is not unusual for the prior art application heads to be quite complicated and incorporate many parts which are more likely to fail and cause additional maintenance to be required.
A principal advantage of this invention is to provide a tape application head for cartons sealing equipment which is able to accommodate cartons that are traveling at speeds between 120 and 140 feet per minute, and to accurately register the applied tape to the carton with the leading end and the trailing end being of the same length. Furthermore, it is the objective of this invention to provide a tape application head that accurately positions a beginning end of the tape with respect to the leading roller to apply pressure to the leading edge to minimize the presence of loose ends that are not affixed to the carton.
A further objective is to provide a high speed tape application head that is simple in design, has a minimum of moving parts, and is sturdy and easy to maintain.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.